BY THE NUMBERS:
The participation survey results are in from all Florida High School Athletic Association schools across the state and below are the results:
• MOST PARTICIPATED SPORTS: Football. Makes sense since it requires more players to compete. (40,606)
• LEAST PARTICPATED SPORT: Competitive cheer. (435)
• SPORT WITH THE MOST TEAMS: Basketball (1,316 boys and girls teams in Florida). This fact also made it the second most-joined sport for boys but only the fifth for girls.

• GIRLS ONLY:
The top played sport for girls in Florida is soccer. There is only one girls’ soccer team in Gadsden County and that is at East Gadsden.

• TWO LEAST PARTICIPATED SPORTS WITH A REFEREE:
Bowling and water polo (I didn’t even know these teams existed)

• DROPPING OFF:
There is a 30% decrease in participation in sports between 9th grade and 12th grade with a 10% decrease each year in high school. Much of that can be attributed to two factors: a freshman determining over time they aren’t so crazy for sports and running into “cuts” in programs at the varsity level.

• If you want to know more about the participatory numbers for Florida high school sports, visit the fhsaa.org website.

PARENTS NEED NOT APPLY:
The school board of Berkley County in my home state of South Carolina has approved this week a policy prohibiting parents from coaching teams their children play on at the varsity and junior varsity levels.

While a waiver system will exist there to approve parent-coaches who are determined to be “vital to the existence of the program," the policy's intent is to first open coaching positions to staff members at schools in the county. Currently there are 26 parents coaching in the county. Obviously, there have been some situations brewing over the years to motivate such a policy. The vote on the policy was 6-1.

STATE/LOCAL BASEBALL NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED:
Four of the top five Small School Nationally Ranked Baseball Teams are from Florida. Eleven of the top 25 are from Florida. Amazing. The top small school program in the nation is only 25 miles from Quincy, and it is North Florida Christian School in Tallahassee. The Eagles finished this season 26-4 and won the Class 3A state championship. In addition, two seniors on the club went high in the major league draft. Matt Railey was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks and Carson Sands was drafted by the Chicago Cubs.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
Baseball and football are very different games. In a way, both of them are easy. Football is easy if you're crazy as hell. Baseball is easy if you've got patience. They'd both be easier for me if I were a little more crazy — and a little more patient. ~Bo Jackson